Electrically-operated power device



Jl. U-ll Xg 19756 i643 Nov. 19, 1929. l.. E. BECK .-vvll ELECTHICALLY OPERATED POWER DEVICE Filed Oct. 13 1927 IQQJLM..

WITNESS:

INVENTR O E" AW l ATTORNEY current throu tain a reasonable force. As theqloltage devreacting against anal Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PAT-ENT ori-ICE I msm E. emor'xmr STATION, rmmv'ama Afancrisrcnaamoruaa'a:a1 -r0w1=:1a.mi\v1cir applica-tion ma octeberis, 1927. sum no. 226,023.

This invention relates to an electrically o erated apparatus and has for its general o ject the provision of means whereby useful work vor mechanical power may be obtained as the result of the passage of afcurrent carrying liquid conductor across or through a magnetic field.- i

It 1s well known that when a liquid conductor carrying an electric current', is placed in a magnetic field having `a component at right angles to th-direction of current ilow in the conductor, a force is exerted upon the liquid which sets lprinciple has heretofore been used, it has een applied to the measurement of electric current and` has not, so far as I am aware, .been used for any other purpose, probably due to the fact that. it re uires a very strong vh a liqui conductor to obveloped across the liquid conductor by reason of its motion through a magnetic field is very low, this requirement renders it impossible to use the apparatus successfully or commercially on an but extremely low voltage systems. Furt er, its use has been confined to direct current applications.

`It is with the above facts in view that I have designed the present invention which has for a very important object the provision of a system andappara-tus taking advantage of .these physical arranged as ltio-permit the use of a high voltage alternating current supply suitably stepped down in regard to the electro-motive force soV `as to obtain a 'heavy current or one of high amperage capable of operating the system in s uch manner as to derive a practical amountpf power therefrom.

The mvention further contemplates I the.

provisionof an iapparatus and system of this means for producing.

character embodylng v a magnetic flux of an alternating character tmg current passing through a liquid conductor to produce movement of thelatter, means being provided .the magnetic iiux andal# alnt 4ow in the tor maint ternating c hase relation so Proper P assured. T13

maximum' 'eiciency be it in motion. cWhile this` and electrical laws and so' vreturn ltozthe casing l M 1 riale maybe used, mercury is a highly satis- 10 An additional object-of the invention is to provide an apparatus and system of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble or install, positive in action, ecient and durable in service, and a general im rovement in the art.

.To the attainment o the foregoing and other objects and advanta es, the invention preferably consists in the etailed construction and the arrangement and combination of parts or apparatus to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompan ing drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional viewrtaken substantially' on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 1s an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating an actual or practical apparatus used for compressing gas and other liquids.

'ln the drawings I have shown the general features of the invention embodied in a compressor or. pump, but it should be understood likewise of `dielectric material, such as glass.

.The tube 11 terminates in a nozzle 13 which -Jextends into a chamber 14 in communication with a pipe 15 through which gas or other Huid is supplied from a suitable source. The tube enters the chamber' 14 through a suit ble packing gland 1 6 at one end of the chamyber, andi extending from the chamber 14 lis a relatively constncted compression passage 17 whose cross sectional area ispreferably substantially the .same as that of the tip of the nozzle 13. The passage '17 leads to a lchamber 18 of relatively large capacity and` which is provided with a pipe 19 for the outA ward passage of the compressed gas or liquid. The c amber 18 connects 'with the tube 12 so that the conductor liquid indicated at L may 10. While other mate.

bUb litri-.neuen factory one to constitute .the liquid conductor. The casing 10 is placed in a gap in the magnetic circuit of an electroma-gnet including an. iron core 2.0 which caries a coil 21, so that the iiux or field will pass through the casing. The coil is connected by means of conductors 22 and 23 with a source of alternating current, and one conductor has interposed 1n therein a static condenser 24. Other conducf tors 25 and -26 connect with the supply or power line and lead to the primary coil 27 of a transformer 28, the secondaryl coi1'29 of which is connected by conductors 30 and-31 1 5 with electrodes or terminals 32 and 33 located within the casing and extending preferably longitudinally thereof. It is ad-v visable that these electrodes be of some material not chemically acted upon by the mercury or other conducting liquid used.

In the operation of the apparatus, an' alternating current flowing in the magnet coil 21 produces an alternating magnetic flux or which passes through the conducting liquid L at right angles to the alternating current which Hows through the liquid conductor bet'weenthe contact strips 32 and 33 from the low voltage 'coil 29 of the transformer, the current flow and magnetic flux reacting on so eachother. Ifthis current is in time phase,

or `180 degrees out of time phase with the magnetic flux, a pulsating unidirectional force is exerted upon the liquid in the casing causing it to move or acquire a mechanical cui`` rent possessing kinetlc energy. If the currentais leading or lagging the magnetic flux by 90 degrees, an alternating force upon the nductor results, whose effect is zero, and it will therefore .be seen that it is desirable to 4g have the electric Vcurrent and magnetic flux as nearly in phase, or as nearly 180 degrees out of phase, as is ssible hence I provide the condenser 24 to p ring about the Vapproximate phase relation desired.

tion between the flux in the core 20 and the current in the supply lin'e 22 and 23, may be substituted. It 1s possible to omit the condenser 24 entirely and still obtain the desired 5c results, depending upon the constants of the apparatus. Further, while the transformer 28 is shown as aseparate unit, the coil 29 may be placed on the core 20 so that this core will serve a double purpose, and it is conceivable that the transformer 28 may be also omitted under certain conditions. Reverting to the feature of phase relation, it may occur that the bestresults might be obtained by operating a few degrees out of phase, exactl-4 'ea tude in this respect not being essential.

By reason of 'the pulsating movement of the liquid L brought about as set forth a pres .sure is set u m the tube 11, this pressure rismg and g at a frequency depending C5 practically upon the cycle frequency ofthe fieldA However, any 4r, suitable device for varying the phase rela-l being forced out of the nozzle 13 in slugs as.

indicated at S in Figure 4, rather than in a continuous stream, as would be the case if a consta-nt pressure on the liquid were to exist. Gas or air entering the chamber 14 is entrapped in the tube or passage 17 by the Successive slugs S and is compressed b the kinetic energy ssed by them durlng their movement. e passage 17 must be of suicient length that at no time during the operation of the apparatuswill it open and thus permit a backward iiow. The fluid and liquid conductor enter the chamber 18 and by reason of their difference in density, the fluid will pass out through-the pipe 19, while the liquid will return to the casing 10 through the tube 12.

The apparatus has been described as a compressor, but it is obvious that it may be used as a liquid pump, the water or other liquid entering through the pipe 15 and passing out through the pipe 19. ,From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings, it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed and arranged compressor or pump system which will be of'manifest advantage on account of the elimination of moving mechanical elements such as valves, pistons and transmission mechanism such as form part of the ordinary compressors or pumps, the apparatus being, furthermore, noiseless, or substantially so, in operation and incapable of wearing out owing to the absence of moving parts other than the conducting liquid. Obviously, there is likewise no necessity for any lubricating features and the apparatus will consequently operate with great economy. It is really'believed that the construction, operation and advantages-will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described a certain embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that this is merely for the purpose of explanation, the principal and essential feature being the general combination embodying the broad principles set forth. I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes in the details of construction and the arrangement of a paratus as will not depart from the spirit o the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: A

l. In an apparatus of the character described,l a container of insulating material,

forv passing an alternating current through the liquid in a manner to travexlse the magnetic flux whereby the mutual reaction of the magnetic iux and alternating current will QLHHUH uvm lli,

lil

cause the liquid to m'ove within the container.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a container of insulating material, a conducting liquid' Within the container,

, means for passing' a magnetic iux of an 15 3. In an apparatus of the character 'described, a container .of insulating material, a conducting liquid within the container, means for passing a magnetic flux of an alternating character through the liquid,

means for passing an alternating current through the liquid in a manner to traverse the magnetic flux whereby the-mutual reaction of the magnetic flux and alternating current will cause the liquid to move within the container, and means for timing the phase of the alternating current with respect to that of the magnetic flux whereby they will be either in phase or one hundred and eighty degrees out of phase.

4. In an apparatus of the ycharacter described, a container of insulating material, a conducting li uid withinthe container, spaced electrodes within the container in physical and electrical contact with the liquid, means for supplying a low voltage alternating current to said electrodes whereby it traverse the liquid, and means for producing an alternating magnetic flux to the liquid synchronized with the phase of the alternating current to react therewith and cause movement of the liquid.

-5. In an apparatus of the character described, an electromagnet having pole pieces, a container of insulating material located between the pole pieces and containing a conl ducting liquid, an alternating current circuit for energizing the electromagnet to produce an alternating magnetic flux through the liquid, and a circuit for sup iyingha low voltage alternating current tliroug the liquid in traversing relation to the magnetic iiux, the low voltage current being obtained through a transformer.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, an electromagnet having pole pieces,

a container of insulating material located between the pole pieces and containing a con-` ducting liquid, an alternating current circuit for energizing the electromagnet to produce an alternating magnetic flux through the liquid, and a circuit for supplying a low stricted passage, I one chamber having inlet means for a uid and the other'having outlet means therefor, and a nozzle within the inlet chamber whereby the liquid may be projected into said passage to entrap the fluid.

7 The method of moving a conducting liquid through a'containcr of insulating material, comprising passing an alternating magnetic flux through the container and liquid, passing an alternating current through the liquid to traverse the magnetic iiux, and varying the phaserelation to ei'ect synchronism.

8. The method of moving a conducting liquid through a container of. insulating material, comprising passing an alternating magnetic {iux through the container and liquid, and passing an alternating current through the liquid to traverse the magnetic fiux, and regulating the timing of the magnetic iux with respect to the alternating current flow.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LESTERE. BECK.

voltage alternating current through the liquid in timed traversing relation to the magnetio: ux, the container having inlet and 6 e outlet chambers'the'rein connected by a con- 

